One of the world’s largest graphene-enhanced green cement trials is set to start in June as First Graphene Ltd (ASX:FGR, OTCQB:FGPHF) leads a consortium to investigate a simple, low-cost method of introducing graphene to industrial-scale cement processes.
Innovative technology organisations
“Our research and development in collaboration with some of the world’s most innovative materials technology organisations, coupled with buy-in from industry partners to trial our graphene products, sets the foundation for a strong commercialisation pathway,” First Graphene managing director and CEO Michael Bell said.
“Greening of the concrete and cement sector provides our company a great opportunity to strengthen both our revenue and ultimately profitability as market demand for decarbonisation technologies and materials increases."
The consortium includes Breedon Cement Ltd, Morgan Sindall Construction and The University of Manchester and is supported by the UK Government’s Transforming Foundation Industries (TFI) program. It will receive funding from Innovate UK through a £190,034 grant.
Demonstrated carbon offset benefits
Graphene-enhanced cement has demonstrated carbon offset benefits and FGR has a growing stake in the emerging green cement and concrete sector.
Data from Breedon and FGR production sites has already been analysed by the University of Manchester and graphene-enhanced cement has been found to both offset CO2 and demonstrate potential mechanical benefits, even at graphene loading levels less than 0.06%.
During the trial, around 2,000 tonnes of graphene-enhanced cement will be produced at Breedon that will be marked for use in real-world demonstrations conducted by Morgan Sindall Construction, a leading British construction and regeneration group.
Graphene will be added to the cement production line using a range of addition methods with minimal changes to the existing plant.
The cement’s performance as a binder in mortar and concrete systems will be analysed to assess the performance improvement.
FGR has secured a one-tonne order for a further trial in graphene-enhanced concrete, which is scheduled for the end of the year. The one-off order, although not material from a profitability point of view, is an important step in scaling up to meet the increased requirements of the cement and concrete segment, and continues to help build the company’s pipeline of revenue opportunities.
Ease of dispersion
This month a collaboration between First Graphene and the University of Manchester published a paper titled ‘Effects of using aqueous graphene on behaviour and mechanical performance of cement-based composites' in international journal Construction and Building Materials.
The paper highlights ease of dispersion of PureGRAPH® AQUA products and their suitability for aqueous applications.
Lead author Dr Tien-Dung Nguyen of the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering said he was pleased to discover hydrated graphene can enhance cement hydration:
“By incorporating hydrated graphene into cement-based materials we can reduce the embodied carbon of concrete structures. In the future, I see potential for hydrated graphene to improve the electrical conductivity of cement for smart construction.”
Bell added: “The emerging green cement and concrete market is estimated to be worth US$56 billion by 2027. We have experienced a surge in demand for our “PureGRAPH® enhanced products at a time commercial scale trials are dialing up.
“With pressure growing on the cement and concrete industry to reduce carbon emissions, First Graphene anticipates interest in PureGRAPH® products will have an increasingly positive impact on our company’s revenue streams from this segment.”